a proposed new means of classifying adverse reactions to medicines

摘要

In 1977, a classification of all adverse drug reactions as either Type A (dose-related, pharmacologically predictable) or Type B (dose independent, unprendent, unpredictable) was proposed. This article argues that this classification requires updating in view of the advances made in the past 20 years concerning the epidemiology of adverse reactions. The limitations of the original classification are reviewed and a new classfication based upon reaction mechanism is introduced.